Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1887-11-30
A DRY GOODS PALACE.
AN ARMY OF EMPLOYEES GETTING
READY TO CLOSE UP.

The Bang Of the Gong at G O'Clock in
the Evening-Cash Girls in Marching
Array-A Startling sight-Night Work.
Rigid Discipline.
Bang went gong at O'Clock in the
evening in palatial dry goods emporium
on Sixth avenue. Instantly 1900 en-
ployes stopped work
what means this commotionsn asked
a reporter Of the manager.
THAT bell notifies our army that they
are to get ready to close up. " was the re-
ply. In a moment you will hear the
gong strike twice. That means to cover
up the shelves and counters. Three bells
Will ring after that, and all those who are
not waiting on customers in the dress
goods department will go home. Four
Dells sends down the attendants on the
upper hoor and five bells empties the
mousse OF all but the cash girls Wait until
they form in line. 1t is a sight. -
Inc reporter waited until the gong rang
SIX times. Instantly the ties of rigid Init
necessary discipline We're cut, and the lit
Tie ones formed in squads. Such n cv
clone OF voices and crowding for place, It
reminded the observer Of a college cane
rush.
Those girls are as hard to control as n
regiment of boys" said the good natured
manager. "It seems incredible that in
their anxiety to obtain desirable places in
the line they can be so rough We dislike
doing it, but we are sometimes Obliged In
discharge a few of them for their roupb
conduct. These girls are all over the ace
OF IA years, and they must be furnished
with a certificate from schoo, teacher
before we employ them"
AT given signal one squad marched
past the other. There were no careworn
1aces IN the ranks. They all went past
smiling, winking or slyly making faces at
the other squad.
ON, they went out first last night"
GrleG little one in the company left be-
hlnd. Il don't think that's fair"
But 1t was fair; for the first outgoing
squad at evening was the first to arrive in
the morning. Equal division Of labor is
the motto OF the firm, and the Biblical
quotation OF 1.-The last shall be first il
not carried out.
A STARTLING SIGHT.
Twenty minutes after the first bell rang
the long aisles were in darkness. with tn,
exception Of here and there a dim light Mt
each end Of the room. The superinten.
dent and the journalist inspected the
premises. In going through the suit de-
partment startling sight met the renor-
ter's eyes. A row of graceful forms
dressed in costumes worth hundreds Of
dollars were there before the store closed.
but on the return trip they had been dis
rOOed and nothing remained of their for
mer splendor but paper bustles. A wire
form wearing paper hustle in a dimlv
hghted room produces a ghostly effect,
and Mr.. Thorne said ''he was not sur
prlsed at the visitors timidity."
The sound Of female voices was heard
singing plaintive negro melody.
That comes from the work room on the
top hoor," said the guide. eve some
times keep the dressmakers at work until
midnight altering clOaks and dresses
bought during the day. OF course we nav
Ihem literally for all extra work. -
Inc basement Of dry goods store at
night is a busy place. In the delivery de-
partment clerks were busy as bees check
ing OH the packages and depOsiting them
IN the boxes OF the drivers, who stuffed
their wagons with them until the sides
bulged out.
''These are the cloak rooms. " said tho
superintendent, pointing to long row Of
stalls with square opening in each door.
Here the clerks deposit their hats
cloaks and lunch sachels. and receive
check for them. One Of the reasons for
sending the employees home in squads is to
avoid confusion here"
This is our head night watchman.n
SAID the superintendent. "He is n GOOD
man to keep away from after. dark. He
Is walking arsenal and makes it very
uncomfortable for those who try to make
ms acquaintance at night" He has p.
large force under him and they are all
well armed. Their duties are to close the
premises and protect it until daylight.
Ihey sweep out the stores and dust every
nook and corner in the building. A souad
OF paint cleaners follow the sweepers.
Ihey clean the stools and counters thor
Oughly. The most delicate colored fabric
would not be injured by coming in contact
with the woodwork after they get through
with 1t. All night long the men worked
steadily, stopping at midnight for supper
and an hours well earned rest. The |
watchmen on the outside of the building
were relieved and went inside for a smoko |
ing hot supper supplied them by the lib |
eral proprietor.
just as daylight came tumbling through
the eastern windows the great iron shut |
ters were raised. The noise sounded like |
the changing Of anchor chains on a man /
o'-War. The back windows were opened ]
and the dust blown out. The advance /
guard Of clerks began to arrive The /
white robes Of the counters were removed |
and folded up and the bashful wire forms
were once more arrayed in presentable at
tire. Customers began 20 drift in. The
long night had passed and a new DAVIS
business had begun.-New York Evening
Sun.